journey beyond by deanne

Are you single right now? Or waiting for God’s best?

Are you navigating through the path of relationships? You may wonder at some point what should be done. What should be the right posture? What should I do next?

Sharing with you 3 words that I eventually learned after a long journey of waiting. My love story with Luigi was never perfect but we started right and prepared ourselves well which saved us a lot of times from heartaches, expectations, and immature feelings.

Here are the 3 words to remember as you navigate through the path of relationship.

1. (Joyful) ANTICIPATION

I specify the word “joyful” because when we are single, we tend to be bitter with others. Instead of focusing on what we lack, this season is about recognizing what we have and being grateful for that gift. One friend of mine, a single lady at the age of 31 told me in one of our conversations that her greatest resource at the moment is her time and her status as a single woman. That for me was proof that she recognizes her current state as a gift, this is what it means to be joyful where we are.

Joyful anticipation is preparing for what is to come. If you are certain that you are made for a relationship, then this is a time of preparation for what you’ve been praying for. As you prepare, get to know yourself more, accept your uniqueness, learn life as a single person, and grow where you are. This is also a time of building friendships, creating connections, getting out of your circle, and navigating the unknown. Because when we anticipate something, we do not only wait around the corner, but we also do our part.

2. PARTICIPATION

An Ate of mine told me that when the right person comes all you have to do is “participate”. Back then I couldn’t grasp what it meant but when Luigi and I started getting to know each other in a different light, I then understood why you have to participate. It took me many years of waiting before I started entertaining someone, so when the time came for me to participate, I wanted to run away. I was afraid especially of getting hurt or making a wrong decision. I was afraid of risking our friendship for something unsure but by God’s grace, I participated anyway.

Participation is not just about allowing the other, but it also means being all there. This means, openness to God’s leading or surprises and being ready to accept new lessons and experiences. Participating when it comes to getting to know the other person without our own biases and expectations.

Learning the word “sincerity” is very important at this time because as you participate you have to be sincere with your actions and words. Remember, you are not playing here, you are dealing with real emotions and a real person.

 I could still remember when Luigi confessed to me about his feelings, I could not grasp everything that he said at that time, but I was certain that I was about to enter into a path of obedience to God’s will. When I started participating, I began to recognize that everything felt as if I was pursued by the Lord, and it was made tangible through Luigi.

For me, courtship should always point us to the greatest lover of all. Everything is only a mirror of His love. This means one should feel God’s love throughout the process of courtship.

3. COMMITMENT

Our commitment sets us apart. In this phase, we must now own the responsibility to be true, loyal, and dedicated to a particular person. Our love for someone pushes us to commit because when we love we want the best for the other. This is reflected in our willingness to invest time, effort, and resources. When we also commit, we are looking for a long-term perspective, with long-term goals. Thus, we only enter into a relationship that we hope to last.

Commitment is very important, especially in today’s world where relationships are built with two parties too afraid to commit. But what’s the point of having a relationship without the goal of commitment?

Commitment is a gift. It is meant to help us navigate the path of relationship with discipline and self-control. It also reflects the true meaning of genuine love. Because when we are willing to sacrifice for the sake of the other then we have known what it means to truly love.

There you are! 3 BIG words as we navigate the path of relationship. Hopefully, these 3 words resonate with you as you journey in this life. May we experience God’s love through our relationships and may it reflect His unconditional love as well. 

When a boy meets a girl, both meet God along the way.

God bless your journey!

Journeying beyond,

Deanne

“When God knows you’re ready for the responsibility of commitment, He’ll reveal the right person under the right circumstances.”